Monetizing My Blog
Copyright Glo Lewis 8/7/2023
Dear Readers of My
Blog, 💕
Monetizing A Blog:
I sure hope that you are all healthy and as happy as is possible in this hard time. Here’s my own challenging predicament: When one tries to monetize their blog with Google’s AdSense, they soon discover that every requirement has several links to explore, each with maybe six more links with paragraphs of requirements that go on like Russian Matryoshka dolls only more so, far more so. Google itself notes, when discussing such keepsakes, that these dolls are also known as “stacking dolls, nesting dolls, Russian tea dolls, or Russian dolls, are a set of wooden dolls of decreasing size placed one inside another.” And I guess every author must at least once in their life echo Winston Churchill in saying that something too mysterious is, “a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.” He was referring to Russia in 1939. Each AdSense link opens an increasingly overwhelming set of links that are written in a 21st-century kind of lingo, apparently designed to discourage. Plenty of people have monetized blogs, so I can only speculate that they can afford to hire someone trustworthy to navigate the AdSense site and quickly arrive inside of the myriad labyrinths of essentials set down like law for any contemporary writer who dares to rub two shekels together as a lowly artist in a world of capitalist commerce.
Strictly speaking and long nonfiction story short—I am not up to the job without the kind of expertise that only a specialist sort of new-age technical linguist can now decipher. It’s not legalese, which having been pre-law so long ago in college, would be understandable at least, especially if one comprehends that in legalese it’s all threat, bluff, and blowhard to make you see yourself in the tiniest spot below the giant’s powers. But the new digital language is even beyond my regular IT guy. He advised me to get an AdSense specialist, and that never got traction for me for reasons best left to the cosmos. It’s a whole new world out there, and it never gets any better. Who originally said, “Life’s a bitch, and then you die”? And if one is like me, they will repeatedly write to Google’s brilliant team of experts, pleading for help, and occasionally a mysterious hand of assistance will reach down and implement what could be actual grace. But one is still not finished. And Google won’t put a button or two to press digitally, one’s online signature here and there, and poof! We’d be in business. But no! God forbid the masses would be exposed to writer types of their contemporaries, and that authors attempting to create art and also help their fellow writers-- who simply want some good old-fashioned American guidance— would be able to provide that kind of leadership without first having to gut it out for weeks on end, with a four-month reach for monetization hanging like the Sword of Damocles over their head! My dear readers, I don’t have the stomach for any more of this nonsense! And I can’t seem to hire a new smart pant to get the job done with integrity. Even reaching out to all the unassuming ITs— let’s face it, most are guys but so what? -- nobody has offered to step up for me, when I clearly state I will pay, OF COURSE! So, there it is, darlings, in black and white. I am not going to be able to even make a buck with all the work that creative writing requires in a blog, especially when layering that art with teaching moments.
Consequently, I am now taking a break from my blog to work on my second novel—my Teamster’s Union story. During the upcoming days and weeks, you writers, and some perhaps strictly readers or dreamers—all of which are beautiful and shining like platinum—I will be thinking about you and hoping that you are writing.
After careful consideration, I believe that I have taken you already quite far on your journey of understanding the heart and soul of fiction. You know that you have it within you to do at least the start of something wonderful and great. So do that. No one says you must finish or publish. Or even start. Just keep your skin in the game of life somehow. Read. Write. Listen. Make notes. Go forth. Keep up your fight.
Outlining a story or a novel:
As to outlining a story or a novel, chapter by chapter— you don’t have to outline the entire book at once. Just set down what happens in the opening pages. Then what might happen in the middle. And then the ending. This process could take months, so hold on to your patience like Sinatra’s fedora or trilby hats with their shimmering silk bands. Art takes time and love of craft— it can’t be shoved along like a river in a hurry to breed Salmon up hill. Take your precious time, making you proud to be a writer every day. You also don’t have to adhere to your high school English teacher’s strict adherence to classic outlining of Roman Numerals, capital letters, lower-case letters, and numbers. But make certain that you can read your own writing, hopefully creating your outline online at some point, and that you divide up your chapter map on digital pages. Use Word, preferably. Make sure that your digital document differentiates your chapters at minimum with numbers, names too, if you prefer, a device that focuses on the central scenes of that chapter or a lead character, e.g., Chapter I, Joe, which would then hold the start of your story. In such a case, you would obviously open with significant revelations about Joe, depending on your focus. For example, if my novel originates with Joe Mancini (one of my lead characters), the options are a greenbelt of fertile ideas, because I’m starting with a person— a concept of import. Therefore, Joe’s harsh New York back street resume opens a plethora of ideas from memories of hunger, street urchins dropped onto corners to fight or die on America’s cruel streets, Joe’s early-age protection of his older brother, etc. Or you could feature Joe in union arbitration, trying for higher wages and better working conditions for his union people. Alternatively, you could stage a wildcat strike, scabs crossing picket lines, the angst of union members not bringing in wages, the sacrifices of union spouses and kids. The possibilities are long and wide. But hold yourself to task to stay on course of your main story themes, and don’t wander too far afield, or you’ll have an ambiguous, undisciplined book. Keep it tight. Do not ramble!
In closing, let me say that I am still debating with myself on whether I should keep writing in this blog, even extemporaneously as I’ve done today, possibly still incorporating teaching moments, or if I should abandon the blog altogether and simply write my new book in progress. During this trying decision-making period, I ask for your forbearance with me. Please know that no matter what I decide, I’ve enjoyed this time with all of you. Your profile views and checking in on my posts have been an exquisite memory so far. Thank you dearly for that.
Hopefully, I’ll be in touch with you again before too long.
God Bless…Glo
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